The autobiography of a legend, completed by the woman who knew him best
John Peel was born the day before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. His 38-year career as a radio DJ is the stuff of legend and the bands he went on to discover too numerous to mention, though David Bowie, Roxy Music, T Rex, Genesis, Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, Radiohead and the White Stripes would do as a start. He lived in Suffolk with his wife Sheila and their children William, Thomas, Alexandra and Florence, plus various dogs and cats, until his death in October 2004.
At a time when the role of the D.J. has been whittled down to judge at your local bar's wet T-shirt contest, it is nearly impossible for Americans to grasp the integral role John Peel played in shaping British popular culture for more than three decades. A titan of Old Blighty's broadcasting, first on pirate radio and then a mainstay of the BBC, Peel was a tireless conduit of new music, giving airtime to bands (and genres) that might not have otherwise gained worldwide exposure (e.g., Pink Floyd, Napalm Death, and the White Stripes). Sadly, Peel died in 2004, barely midway through this memoir. Thus does Margrave become a posthumous collaboration between Peel and wife Sheila Ravenscroft. Each writes basically half of the book, with an abrupt jump from where Peel's narrative ends and hers begins. In that respect, the writing is somewhat uneven, but the overall portrait of the man is surreal, funny, heartbreaking, and strangely heroic. Recommended for public and academic libraries with large music collections.--Matthew Moyer, Jacksonville P.L., FL Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
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